Combination cigarette container and lighter



1 R. MAYER April 22, 1947.

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND LIGHTER Original Filed Oct. 5, 1941 3 Shets-Sheet 1 Id- 1 a. 6 .5 Z a. e H/// A///M/ mm 01 n 0 v G H w I 4 w I. l R v m B F I W 0 W 4 mm M M 8 3 I 5 4. HZM,Q 1

Arramvgr April 22, I R. MAYER V I COMBINATION'CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND LIGHTER I Origina} Filed Oct. a, 194i :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 x 5 I FIG.8. INVENTOR R/c/Meo rim 5e,

Q-f/X/ ATTOIPA/QY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F I G .11.

R. MAYER COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER AND LIGHTER Original Filed Oct. 5, 1941 FIG.10.

A ril 22, 1947;

INVENTOR. RICHARD Mil/ER,

BY @ML AfiOR/VEY Patented Apr. 22, 1947 COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER .AND LIGHTER Richard Mayer, New Rochelle,'N.Y., assignorto Universal'Match Corporation, St.' Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Original application October 3, 1941, SerialNo.

413,466, new Patent No. 2,373,772, dated April 17, 1945. Divided and this application April 3, 1944, Serial No. 529,264

Claims.

My invention relates generally to cigarette containers and, more particularly, toa certain newand useful improvement in combination cigarette containersand lighters, and is a division in closed and open position;

2 Figures 3, 4,-and Bare enlarged sectional views of the structure taken approximately along the lines 33, el, and '-5-5, respectively, Figure 1 Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the of my co pending application filed October 3, 5 structure taken approximately along the line 1941, Serial'No.4l3,466, issued April 17, 1945 as -5-6,--Figure 5'; Patent-No. 2,373,772. Figure 7 is a fragmental longitudinal sectional My invention has for its primary object the View of the structure with its lid or magazine provision of a cigarette receptacle which includes lifted and with the cigarette-pusher in cigarette a-magazineand'lighter-section or tray so uniqueshifted lighting position; 'lyijoined'and co-operable as to automatically, on Figure 8 is'a similar view-of the structure with 'ac'tua'tions of the-magazine relatively to the tray, the cigarette-pusher in so-called abnormal successively dropthe cigarettes from the 'magashifted circuit-breaking position following rezineinto the tray and present the same fully moval or excessive consumption of a lighted ciglighted for convenient manual removal from the arette; tray. Figure 9 is a front'elevational view, partly in My invention has for another object the prosection, of the'structure with its lid and magavision 'ofa combination cigarette container and zine in lifted or open position;

lighter in which allot the essentialparts or ele- Figures 10 and 11 are transverse sectional ments, other than in some instances :a remote Views of the structure respectively pproxisource ofelectrical'energy are housed within a mately along the lines 'lll0 and lll I, Figure 'lidded shellwhich maybe easily passed around 9; and forconvenientsuccessive removaloflighted cig Figure 12 is a digramrnatic view of the cigaarettes. I rette-lighting-wiring of the structure.

My invention has for a further-object the pro- Referring now in more detail and by reference vision of a combination cigarette-containerand characters to the drawings, which illustrate a lightcricomprising a lidded shell and in which preferred embodiment of my invention, the comthe cigarette magazine is uniquely associated bination cigarette receptac e or container and pivotally with the-shell-lid for ready filling, lighter, for brevity merely designated container,

My invention has for-a still 'further'object the includes a shell or housing A comprising a boxprovision of'a combination container of the type like tray a of cast-metal, pla or other suitmentioned which may be readily constructed, able material comprising a front wall' 2, a rear which is'compact'and artistic in form and ap- Wall and elld'wall t e ro t and rear pearance for service upon a desk or table or for walls 2, having te nS 2 and 3*, r spe passing around among a group, which may be tively, of increased height and connected transreadilyfilled, which "is economical and entirely versely 0f the trayaby an end wall 5. Joining safe-inelectrical consumption and operation, and the walls '3 and '5 at their uppe margim'isa which is'eiiicient andsatisfactory'in the performp wall and j d ma y t0 the Walls ance'of itsintended functions. 3, and 6,2111 as bestseen in Figures12 and'6, is Andwi'th the above and other objects in View, 40 a Wallor partition '8 having-its lower margin, for my invention resides in the novel'features of pu p s p t y pp pa ed up a y form, construction, arrangement, and combinasuitable distance from the plane of the lower 'tion-ofparts, presently described and pointed out margin of the tray a. Thus, itmay be here said, in theclaims. the tray a is longitudinally divided and neatly In the accompanying drawings (three sheets), qu pp with e Compartment, as at for hous- Figures 1 and 2 are reduced perspective view ingand generally concealing some of the electri- "of a'combination cigarette receptacle or conl eq pment of the shell or container A and tainer and lighter constructedin accordance with With p fl as at dorthe other 0D- and embodying my invention, respectively illuserable parts ue etrating' the structure with its hinged lid or cover 5 Ma rginal1y, as .ati8, integral with or suitably joined to the front and rear Walls 2, 3, of: the

tray a, is a plate or so-called false-bottom 9, which extends approximately fiatwise horizontally across the tray-chamber a suitably intermediate the upper and lower margins of the upstanding walls 2, 3, 4, and registers at an end with the lower margin of the partition 1.

Seated at its opposite ends in the partition 1 and end wall 4 and extending longitudinally of the tray a adjacent the upper margin of the rear wall 3, is a pintle-shaft or rod l0. Adjacent the tray-wall 4 and partition I, the tray rear Wall 3 has cut-outs H, H, opening to its upper margin, and pivotally engaging the shaft or rod in at the cut-outs H, H, are arms l2 fixed, in turn, to a suitably flanged box-like lid b of complementary size and dimensions relatively to the tray a and its compartment a to seat, when in closed position, marginally upon the tray walls 2, 3, and 4 and cover the tray-compartment a and thus complete the preferable rectangular formation of the shell A, as best seen in Figure 1.

Suitably intermediate the shell front and rear walls 2, 3, the plate or false-bottom 9 is depressed in the provision of a longitudinally extending cigarette-accommodating rounded channel or trough l3 having a centrally enlarged and transversel widened finger-clearance l4,

Suitably adjacent the one end wall 4, the plate or false-bottom 9 is formed with a transverse slot l5, which extends from and crosswise of the trough l3 to substantially the shell rear wall 3, as best seen in Figures 3 and 10.

In the bottom of the trough 13, the plate 9 is co-operatively formed longitudinally with a suitable slot l6, which terminates at one end adjacent the slot l5 and at its other end a short distance from the finger-clearance recess M, as best seen in Figure 2; and formed in the plate 9 adja cent the partition I and communicating with the trough i3, is an opening, as at 11, for accommodating, as also best seen in Figure 2, a cigarette igniting or lighting element B, presently fully described.

Suitably fixed or provided in the respective lower corners of the tray (1, are bosses or 'the like [8, and set into the bottom of the tray a against, and by means of screws or the like l9 secured to, the bosses I 8, and snugly marginally engaging the shell walls 2, 3, 4, and 5, is a bottom plate 23 suitably equipped with cushion-feet 2i for supporting the container on a desk or table with total elimination of scratches and the like. Thus the tray a includes an upper section and a lower or concealing compartment, the latter now designated c, for some of the moving or actuating parts of the structure.

Accordingly, suitably fixed to, and depending within the chamber 0 from the under face of, the plate 9, is an insulation block 22, and mounted, in turn, on the block 22, is a conducting strip or bracket 23 supporting the electric heating element or lighter B in such manner that the lighter B projects through the slot or opening I! into the upper section of the tray-compartment a and across the adjacent end of the trough [3. As best seen in Figure 5, the lighter B has electrical connection at one terminal with the bracket 23 and its other terminal is electrically connected, as at 24, to a conducting-plate 25 fixed upon an insulation block 26 depending from the plate 9, the plate 25, in turn, having electrical connection by means of a lead 2'! with one side of the secondary of a suitable step-down transformer C suitably housed within the tray-compartment a and having electrical connection upon the other side of its secondary by means of a lead 28 with the bracket 23.

The plate 3 is suitably provided with a depending insulation-block 29, and suitably fixed 0n the block 29, is a conducting-member 30 having upon a side face of the block 29 a yielding switchmember or strip 3| having electrical connection at one end with one side of a suitable preferably remote source of electrical current (not shown) by means of a flexible conductor 32 extending preferably through the shell rear wall 3, as best seen in Figure 5, the companion conductor 32 from the other side of said current source having electrical connection with one terminal of the primary of the transformer C, as also best seen in Figures 5 and 6.

At its opposite or free end, the yielding switchstrip 3i has a laterally projecting extension 33 provided upon one side face with a, switch-contact or button 34 and upon its opposite side face with an insulation-strip 35 of such length that its free end is disposed adjacent to, and crosswise of, the inner end of the slot l6, as best seen in Figures 5, '7, and 8, and for purposes presently appearing.

Depending from the plate 9 adjacent the rear tray wall 3, is an additional insulation-block 36, suitably mounted upon which is a conductormember 3'7 having a substantially rigid strip-extension 38 provided with a switch-button or contact 39, with which the button 34 is normally in electrical engagement, as best seen in Figures 5 and 7.

The strip 38 is, in turn, formed with a. laterally projecting yielding extension or switch-member 40 likewise provided upon one side face with a switch-button or contact 4| adapted for electrical circuit-closing engagement with a companion button or contact 42 fixed upon a conducting member 43 suitably mounted upon an insulationblock 44 on the under face of the plate 9, the member 43 having electrical connection by means of a lead 45 with the other or opposite side of the primary of the transformer C.

D designates a rectangular shallow box-like magazine comprising a front wall 46, a main rear wall 41, opposite side or end walls 48, 48, and a bottom wall 49, the end walls 48 having projecting rigid arms 53, 50', having pivoted engagement or attachment at the cut-outs II with the rod or shaft H) for swingably supporting the magazine D relatively to the lid 12 and tray a, the magazine D being sized and dimensioned to freely fit and be housed partially within the lid b when in dispensing position and also when the lid 1) is in open or lifted position, as best seen in full lines in Figures 2, 10, and 11, to freely fit and be entirely housed within the lid b and theupper section of compartment a of tray a when the lid b is in lowered or closed position, as best seen in Figures 1, 3, and 4, and to freely fit and be housed partially within the tray 0 when the lid b is lifted or open and the magazine D is in filling position, as indicated by dot-dash lines in Figure 10.

As best seen in Figures 4 and 11, the magazine-wall 49, which, it may here be observed, is constructed preferably of glass or other transparent material for visually exposing the magazine-contents when the lid b and magazine D are in the relative open or lifted positions illustrated in Figure 2, is reduced in width, so as to provide a discharge-opening or slot, as at 5|, between the inner margin thereof and the inner margin of an obliquely inwardly and downwardly disposed rearwall member or extension 52,,intermediate which latter and. the wall 49, the magazine. side. or end wallsv 48 are provided with notches 53 shaped and contoured, as best seen inxliigures- 2, 3, and 10, for workably accommodating opposed arms 54, 54, oppositely presented laterally outwardly'from the ends of one wall.

5510f a.slot-olosure E, of somewhat V-shape in section. haying: pivoted or swingable connection,

as at 56, at the free margin of its companion wall upon a. bar 58 fixed at its oppositeends ingand. extending longitudinally crosswise of the magazine: D between, the end walls 48. As also best seen in Figure 3, the notches 53 include sol-called seat or endportions, as at d, with which, underv the bias, influence, or urging of a suitable spring-member 59' engaging the closure E andthe bar 58, the arms 54 are adapted to yieldingly engage, and when the arms 54 are so seated, the closure E movably extends over and closes the discharge slot as best seen in Figures 2; 10, and 11. However, fixed upon, and adjacent the tray: end wall l and partition I upstanding from, the plate or wall 9, arelugs or the like 66, with which the arms 54 are adapted to engage when the lid 2) and its housed magazine D are in lowered or tray-closing position-or inthe position thereof best seen in Figures'3 and 4, under which engagement, the closureE is swingably actuated against the bias or tension of spring 59 into the swung position thereof best seen in Figure 4 for opening the slot- 5i. In such connection, it may here be stated that the slot 5| is of such dimensions as to freely permit standard cigarettes F to pass singly or individually therethrough, and that the parts of the structure are so proportioned and arranged that the slot 5|. neatly registers with the trough I3 when the lid 1) and magazine D are in lowered or tray-closing position.

By'reason of its individual pivoted connection with the pintle-shaft swingable with respect to the tray a both with and also relatively to the lid b. Normally, as it maybe said, the magazine D is partially housed within and is substantially apart of the lid b, as best seen in Figure 2, in which position the magazine D is releasably retained through the engagement of a spring-pressed catch e with the lid 19,: as best seen in Figure 4. However, on depressing a stud or the like 6|, the catch 6 is released from engagement with the lid 2), when the magazine D may be swung to so-called open position relatively to the tray a and lid 1), as indicated by dot-dash lines in Figure 10, for ready and convenient filling with the cigarettes Ftobe dispensed, the magazine D, when filled, being again partially housed within and closed by the lid b. It may here be remarked that the front wall ie of the magazine D is suitably arcuated on its front face to facilitate relative swingable movement between the lid 19 and magazine D, as best seen in Figure 4, and that the magazine D is preferably equipped approximately midway of its side walls 48 with laterally outwardly presented strips 62, 62, for snugly engaging the opposite side walls of lid 1) when the magazine D is in partially housed position therein, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3.

Pivotally attached at one end to a screw-stud or the like-63 projecting laterally from the magazine-arm Ed, is a link 64, which projects obliquely downwardly through,.and works in, the slot l5,

thelinkfit at its. other.:or lower. end beingformed H the magazine D is.

6. preferably. integrally with: forwardlypresentem plate-extension or! continuation 64 split or (111 vid'edat its. forward. end to include a first portion or member 65 and a-secondportion or member! 66 Asbest seen inFigures 7 and 8, the first plateportion 65 1s preferably laterallyextendedat its forward end, as at 65, to work for smoothnessof operation over, while the second-plate-portion 5B is laterally" extended, as at 56, for'actuating engagement with, one arm 61' of a bell-crank leveror the like G pivoted upon a stud or: the like 68 depending from the plate 9 for swing'able movement in a flatwise registering or horizontalplane under the wall or plate 9. As best seen in Figures 7 and 8, the other arm 69 of the bell crank G. is formed-and extended for swing-- ably working under and crosswise of the slot i6 and atits *ee end isprovided with a finger or the like 'is projecting upwardly into: and through, and for working in, the slot l6 and with a relatively small laterally projecting plate-like extension i l working under the plate or wall 9 for engagingtheinsulation switch-arm extension for purposes presently; appearing.

Coiled'on the stud seand engaging the bell?- crankLG. and a fixed block l2 onthe under facev of the plate 3; as best seen in Figures '7 and 8, is a suitable spring #3 for yieldingly retaining the bell-crank G- in, and returning the same to, inwardly shifted position with the finger 70* and plate H- at the righthand or inner end of the slot it, referenoe'beingmade to Figures 2 and 5,

was best seenin Figure 3, the'link-extension' 6t" issuitably shouldered at its rear "end, as at "it; for actuating engagement with an insulation arrn extensiori l5 fixed to, and projecting lon-- gitudinally from; the yielding switch-arm 40; for purposes soon now to appear;

In use and operation, the magazineD may be conveniently filled with cigarettes F by swingably.

lifting. the lid 29 and then, on releasing the catch 2, shifting the magazine D into approximately the position thereof indicated in dot-dash lines in Figure 10, as. previously mentioned. The magazine D, being so filled, is again partially housed and, by means of the catch e, releasably' retained within; and becomes substantially a part of and swingable with, the lid 1).

Now when the lid b and magazine D are in normal lowered or tray-closing position or in the position thereof illustrated in Figure 1, the finger 1B and plate H are disposed at the left handiendof the slot iii and thearms 54 engagewith the blocks 69, the closure E being thereby swingably shifted to open the slot 5!, whereupon a contained cigarette F moves or drops from the magazine-D through the slot 5| to rest within the trough I3 and crosswise of the finger clearance [4. it may here be remarked that, as will be clearlyseen by reference to Figure 4', the dropped or, as'it' may be said, deposited cigarette F will not be completely out of the magazine D, the parts being. so relatively proportioned that thedistance between the bottom of the trough I3 andthe free margin of the oblique closure-wall 55, when the lid 1) is in lowered or tray-closing position, is such as to permit merely one cigarette F to be discharged or dropped from the magazine D at atime.

Further,v when. the lid 1) and magazine D' are I normal lowered or tray closing position, the

shoulder 14 of the link-extension or plate 64' is spaced forwardly from and out of engagement with the insulation switch-arm 15, the yielding switch-arm 40 taking its normal position and thereby spacing the contact-members 4|, 42, and opening or breaking the circuit to the ignitingmemberB, it being remarked in this connection that, the parts being disposed as here set forth, the contact buttons 34, 39, are in circuit-closing engagement, as best seen in Figure 5.

Now, as the lid 1) and its partially housed or associated magazine D are swingably raised 01' lifted to open position, the link-plate extension 64 is shifted rearwardly, by and through the link 64, to first engage its shoulder 14 with the insulation-arm l and then shift the switch-arm 40 for electrically engaging the buttons 4|, 42, the circuit to the igniter B being closed and the igniter B thereby energized. At the same time, through and by the link 66 and its plate-extension 66, the bell-crank G is swingably actuated by spring 73, when through and by the finger 1D the dropped or deposited cigarette F is shifted into igniting engagement at its opposite end with the energized igniter B. It may also here be noted that, as best seen in Figure 6, the bottom of trough i3 is, as a whole, inclined downwardly toward the shell end-wall 5, so as to facilitate endwise movement of the deposited cigarette F toward the igniter B.

Upon a short interval of time, the so shifted cigarette F will be lighted and may then be manually lifted, fully lighted, from the trough I3 and tray a, the manual gripping of the cigarette F being facilitated by the finger-clearance recess M.

It may be here stated that, when the lid 1) and magazine D are in raised or swingably lifted open position, the closure E is yieldingly actuated by the spring 59 to slot-closing position, and that, when the lid 1) and magazine D are again swingably lowered to closed position, the closure E is again actuated against the bias of the spring 59 to open the slot 5| for permitting a successive cigarette F to be deposited in the trough I3 for lighting.

And, when the lid 21 and its associated magazine D are lowered to tray-closing position, the link 64 will shift its extension 64 out of engagement with the insulation switch-arm and thereby permit the switch-arm 15 to yieldingly move or shift its carried button 4| out of electrical engagement with the fixed button 42 and thereby break or open the circuit to the igniter B and, at the same time, under the positive pushing engagement between the link-member 6464' and the bell-crank arm 6?, the bell-crank G will be pivotally actuated against the bias of the spring 73 for shifting the finger T0 to the lefthand end of the slot l8 for engagement, in turn, with the next succeeding deposited cigarette F and so on.

Thus, when the lid 11 and magazine D are in closed or lowered position, the circuit to the i-gniter B is definitely and positively broken. Hence the electrical and mechanical parts of the apparatus are prevented from becoming too Warm and the useful life of the structure prolonged.

Again, should the lid b and its associated magazine D be swingably lifted without a cigarette F being deposited in the trough IS, the bell-crank G will immediately, under the influence of the spring 13, move to the right and through and by its carried plate H shift the insulation-member and its supporting switch-arm 33 for disengaging the button 34 from the button 39 and thereby also open the circuit to the igniter B, Or, if a deposited cigarette F should be permitted to re-' main too long in engagement with the igniting element B, the particular cigarette F will be gradually consumed, permitting the bell-crank G to yieldingly shift under the tension of the spring 13 for, in like manner, actuating the insulation switch-extension 35 for spacing the buttons 34, 39, and opening the circuit to the igniter B, thus, again, protecting and preserving the useful life of the structure.

Thus, as the lid b and magazine D are raised and lowered, the magazine D is emptied successively, one by one, of its contained cigarettes F, which successively, one by one, are deposited in the trough l3 and lighted and thus again successively, one by one, presented for removal, fully lighted, from the trough l3 and tray (1.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the container may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination cigarette container and lighter including, in combination, a tray, a lid hinged to the tray for swingable movement, a normally open electric circuit comprising a fixed contact, a yielding contact, and a cigarette lighter in series with said contacts for energization when said circuit is closed, said lighter being disposed within said tray in position for engagement with a cigarette, a member shiftable relatively to the tray for engaging said yielding contact, and link-means actuated by and on opening movement of the lid and operatively connected to the shiftable member for actuating said yielding contact and thereby closing the circuit at said contacts responsive to opening movement of the lid.

2. A cigarette container comprising a box-like container having a hinged lid, an igniter mounted uprightly within the container, said container further being provided with a bottom wall having a longitudinally extending recess sloping downwardly toward the igniter, an upstanding finger actuated by opening movement of the lid engageable with a cigarette disposed in said recess for shifting the same into endwise engagement with the igniter and a link operably connecting the finger and the lid so that When the lid is opened the finger will push the cigarette.

3. A combination cigarette container and lighter including, in combination, a box having a hinged lid, a tray, a cigarette-igniting circuit comprising a fixed contact and a movable contact yieldingly engageable with the fixed contact, and means comprising a. bell-crank pivoted on the tray and actuated by the lid for engaging the movable contact for spacing the same from the first contact when the lid is closed.

4. A combination cigarette container and lighter including, in combination, a tray, a lid movably attached to the tray, an electric circuit comprising a normally open first switch, a normally closed second switch, and a cigarette-igniter in the tray, a member yieldingly biased for actuating the second switch for opening the circuit, and means actuable by and on opening movement of the lid for actuating said member out of circuit-opening engagement with the second switch and for actuating the first switch for closing the circuit.

5. A combination cigarette container and lighter including, in combination, a tray, a lid movably attached to the tray, an electric circuit comprising a normally open first switch, a normally closed second switch, and a cigarette-igniter in the tray, a bell-crank pivoted in the tray and. yieldingly biased for actuating the second switch for opening the circuit, and means link-connected to, and actuable by and on opening movement of, the lid for swinging the belbcrank out of circuit-opening engagement with the second switch and for actuating the first switch for closing the circuit.

RICHARD MAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lehmann Feb. 9, 1943 Mayer Apr. 17, 1945 Kelsey Dec. 7, 1926 Copeland Dec. 29, 1931 Pengilly Apr. 19, 1932 Landrum June 6, 1933 LaVercombe Dec. 11, 1934 Copeland Feb. 15, 1938 Aronson Oct. 11, 1938 Cimini Feb. 20, 1940 

